Keating-Owen Child Labor Act of 1916 LAD #23

The Keating-Owen Child Labor Act of 1916 placed limits on the hours that children could work and forbade the interstate sale of goods which are produced by child labor. A census in 1900 revealed that 2 million children were working in unsafe conditions. Social reformers began to condemn child labor and several items were published showing the horrors of it including the novel "Oliver Twist."
The first child labor bill banned sale of products from any facility that had children who were under the age of 16 years working during the night or for more then 8 hours a day. Yet two years after it was passed, the supreme court ruled that the act was unconstitutional.

Wilson's 1srt Inaugural Address LAD #22

In his inaugural Address, Wilson starts about by explaining that there has been a change in government because their has been a shift from republican to democrat in various branches of government. He explains that the Nation wishes to use this democrat party to better the united states as a whole. Furthermore, he speaks of the beauties of our country like the long standing freedom and even the wealth brought about by the industrial revolution. Yet he also reflects on the negative parts of our country like the waste, including human lives, that happened to gain material wealth in the industrial revolution. He states that the country has now set better standards to live by which will help the welfare of the nation has a whole. He goes on to speak about the positive changes that were different in the past and speaks of making peace in Europe.

LAD #21 The Dawes Act

The Dawes Act was created to reorganize government owned indian Reservations into Private property for indians. In the Dawes Act, it states that each head of the family gets a quarter section while persons over the age of 18 got 1/8th of a section along with orphans who were under the age of 18. Lastly 1/16th was given to all the other people in the family. The Dawes act also creates rules for other indian tribes that want to join the reservation. It also states that after the reservation is reorganized into private property, indians can apply to be American citizens which then allows them to work jobs that are paid by the federal government. The indians are also allowed to sell their land. The dawes act closes by explaining that a patent will be given to each indian which states that after five years that reorganization is complete, the land will be only owned by the indian and any other previous contracts or ownerships because void.

LAD #20 Brians Cross of Gold Speech

In the Speech William Jennings Brian began by explaining that one of the biggest problems at the time was that fact that their wasn't enough money in circulation because at the moment America's currency had to be backed by the dollar and so only gold was accepted as currecny. He explained that if silver was again placed in currency at 1/16 the value of gold then this extra money would help poor farmers. Brian made it clear that Farmers, who made all their sales and bussiness transactions in one small amount of time out of the entire, needed large amounts of money for these sales and buys. Yet with only gold backing the dollar, customers didn't have enoguh money which means Farmers couldn't sell as much of their products and on the other side they couldn't buy necessary equipment as a result of lack of money or too high pricces. In his speech Brian used these points to point out the current problems and identify solutions which would work.

LAD #19 Populist Party Platform

In the Populist Party Platform, the populist party explains the problems which they see in the current gilded age. They start out by calling out corruption in government as the main problem. This corruption is either making people poor or making them millionares, with nothing inbetween. They also point out that an enormous problem is the removal of silver which is helping the bankers but hurting the farmers. The party then goes to list their demands which are as follows, That there is a permenant and functional labor union for every worker in the country. Next that "robber barrons" or great industrialists dont take money from their companies in personal profit when the money should really go to the employees. Lastly the Party demands that railroads become property of the citizens of the united states and be put under supervision of the American government.
Next the Party goes on to say that they will change the economy by putting silver back into the currency and creating an income tax. The party also includes ways in which they will reform transportation which is that the government will take adminstriation of all railroads, telgraphs and telephones companys.

LAD #18 McKinley's War Message

Mckinley's War Message was a speech given by McKinley which summarized why he believed the war in Cuba was a great concern for America. He pointed out that war was a nuisance to American citizens as it had been going on for over half a century. Furthermore enormous amounts of money had been spent on the war. Ultimately McKinley states that without a decisive victory, neither opposing side will gain the upper hand and come out victorious in the final outcome of the war.
McKinley states that the two options are to either pick a side or approach the war as neutral. McKinley feels that the conflict is upsetting trade and neutrality would help. He feels that the deaths and causalities and other various humanitarian issues are the entire world's problems and there are already enough interfering neighboring countries that are causing useless bloodshed. Finally McKinley reminds America of the sinking of the U.S.S Maine and states that it's time for Congress to declare war if they feel it's necessary to do so. McKinley also stated that Spain was expected to reach an armistice in cooperation with Americans.